This invention relates to a spherical body transport apparatus suitable for transporting a small spherical body such as a spherical semiconductor. More specifically, the invention relates to a spherical body transport apparatus which can be applied in accepting a small spherical body from a first spherical body treating device and feeding it to a second spherical body treating device.
Recently, it has been proposed to form an integrated circuit on the surface of a spherical semiconductor such as spherical silicon, called ball semiconductor. Such a spherical semiconductor is a small spherical body with a diameter of, for example, about 1 mm. Prior to forming the integrated circuit on the surface of the spherical semiconductor, it is necessary to polish the surface of the spherical semiconductor thoroughly. Japanese Patent Application No. 11-119490 (Title of the Invention: Ball Polishing Device, Filing date: Apr. 27, 1999), assigned to the assignee of the present invention), discloses a polishing device suitable for polishing the surface of a spherical semiconductor. To polish the spherical semiconductor with the use of such a polishing device in the actual production of a spherical semiconductor, it is important to install not only the polishing device, but also a transport device for feeding the spherical semiconductor, which has undergone a treating step performed before a polishing step, to the polishing device, and a transport device for delivering the spherical semiconductor, which has been polished by the polishing device, to a subsequent treating step. However, a spherical body transport apparatus, which can be used preferably in the transport of a small spherical body such as a spherical semiconductor, has not been realized so far.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel spherical body transport apparatus which can be used preferably in the transport of a small spherical body such as a spherical semiconductor.
The invention provides, as a spherical body transport apparatus which attains this object, a spherical body transport apparatus comprising spherical body holding means for holding a spherical body temporarily, the spherical body holding means having at least one spherical body accommodating means; spherical body carry-in means for carrying the spherical body into the spherical body accommodating means of the spherical body holding means; and spherical body carry-out means for carrying the spherical body out of the spherical body accommodating means of the spherical body holding means.
The spherical body accommodating means of the spherical body holding means preferably has a shape and dimensions suitable for accommodating only one spherical body. Preferably, the spherical body holding means has a plurality of the spherical body accommodating means, and repeatedly brings each of the spherical body accommodating means to a spherical body carry-in position and a spherical body carry-out position sequentially; the spherical body carry-in means carries the spherical body into the spherical body accommodating means located at the spherical body carry-in position; and the spherical body carry-out means carries the spherical body out of the spherical body accommodating means located at the spherical body carry-out position. The spherical body holding means preferably includes a rotating disk disposed rotatably, and a rotational drive source for rotating the rotating disk. Preferably, a plurality of the spherical body accommodating means are disposed with spacing in a circumferential direction in the rotating disk. The spherical body accommodating means of the spherical body holding means can be composed of a recess open at an upper surface of the rotating disk and having a semispherical bottom surface. In the rotating disk, it is advantageous that a vent extending from the bottom surface of each of the recesses to a lower surface of the rotating disk is formed. Advantageously, the vent has a cross sectional shape and dimensions which do not allow the spherical body to pass therethrough. The spherical body carry-in means is advantageously composed of carry-in path means communicating with an upper surface of the recess at the spherical body carry-in position, and suction means for sucking a gas through the carry-in path means, the recess and the vent to carry the spherical body, as an accompaniment to the sucked gas, from the carry-in path means into the recess. The spherical body carry-out means is advantageously composed of carry-out path means communicating with the upper surface of the recess at the spherical body carry-out position, and blowing means for blowing a gas through the vent, the recess, and the carry-out path means to carry the spherical body, as an accompaniment to the blown gas, out of the recess to the carry-out path means. Preferably, the carry-in path means and the carry-out path means each have a cross sectional shape and dimensions suitable for permitting passage of only one spherical body.